Wild dog problem increases

SOME land and stock owners are reluctant to bait for wild dogs because they fear it will lead to increases in numbers of kangaroos and feral pests, competing for food.

This is the view of department of Primary Industries researchers Peter Fleming and Guy Ballard, who are working on two projects that will attempt to reverse perceptions of the ‘‘negative’’ impacts of baiting.

One perception was the belief that controlling wild dogs would lead to an increase in populations of kangaroos that lead to competition for feed, and other destructive feral animals.

‘‘In recent years we’ve encountered growing numbers of public and private land managers reluctant to participate in control programs because of a perception that killing dogs will have a negative impact on the environment or their enterprise,’’ Dr Fleming said.